To All You Aspiring Yoga Teachers, If You Were Looking For A Sign, This Is It

I know all you yogis out there are probably dreaming of the days where you could be doing yoga all day, spending your time barefoot in leggings and calling it a job (more like a dream job). But how do you know when you're ready? How do you know when is the time to actually go ahead and do your Yoga Teacher Training? Plus, where are you supposed to do it?

I've finally made the decision to go ahead and do my training. I've been practicing yoga on and off since I was 18, but in the past year, it's been a pretty consistent schedule of me not only practicing but going to classes and developing my own practice and sequence on my own. My yoga teachers have all been super inspiring in making me want to even go into the realm of teaching, but I do feel as though I have the attitude for it.

When I was 18, I loved the "idea" of being a yoga teacher but never thought of it as a realistic goal, since I never thought that I would be a "good enough" yogi.

I didn't think I was capable of getting to that level of peace, zen, or physically being flexible "enough," doing a good enough handstand or anything – a lot of self doubt in my ability. As I got older, I realized more and more that's not what yoga is about at all. It's all about what is within, and it's normal to still get upset, still get angry, still grieve and be hurt.

These feelings don't just go away because you're a yoga teacher, although yoga is a great way to cope with them. Every yoga teacher is still working on something when it comes to their practice. Yoga is about you, about your body, your breath, and your mind.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Thank you for signing up! Check your inbox for the latest from Odyssey.

This is not a valid email, please try again.

So once you start to have some sort of confidence in yourself and in your practice, that is when I think it is right to decide on a yoga teacher training. If not to teach, then to develop your practice. It's about YOU.

I would say doing it at the studio that you always go to is a great idea since you already have that sense of community, but if you want to expand it, then go to different studios that you haven't been to before and immerse yourself. Learning other studios is good since networking is going to be key here to get classes. Plus, going to a different studio, you'll learn different techniques and meet other inspiring teachers.

So good luck and I hope that if you were on the verge of doing it but unsure, this is your signal that you can totally go for it!